The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ruled against MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, directing the telecommunication company to pay N15 million in damages for unauthorized deductions from a subscriber’s airtime.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by a three-member panel of justices.
The case centered on complaints from a customer who reported that MTN had been deducting airtime for services they never subscribed to.
The court examined evidence presented by the complainant, which revealed that MTN had been charging customers for unsolicited services without obtaining proper consent.
In a unanimous decision, the appellate court strongly condemned MTN’s actions, describing the automatic deductions as fraudulent and unethical.
The judges emphasized that customers have a right to decide whether or not to subscribe to services and should not be charged for anything they did not explicitly authorize.
The court’s ruling sends a clear message about the need for accountability in the telecommunications sector and the importance of respecting consumer rights.
MTN has been ordered to pay the N15 million fine as compensation to the affected customer.
